Apparatus and method for moving contents having a restricted number of copies between storage media

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for moving contents includes an input unit for inputting the contents and a control unit for controlling the movement of the contents between storage media by analyzing a copy control code of the contents. The method for moving contents includes the steps of analyzing a copy control code of the contents when a user desires to move the contents from a first storage medium to a second storage medium and storing the contents in the second storage medium by converting the copy control code of the contents according to the result of analysis, thereby providing improved convenience to the user as long as copyrights are not infringed by storing the stored contents in the second storage medium.

This application is a Continuation of co-pending application Ser. No.10/022,889, filed on Dec. 20, 2001, the entire contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference and for which priority is claimed under35 U.S.C. § 120.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for movingcontents, particularly, to an apparatus and method for moving contentscapable of moving contents having a restricted number of copies toanother storage media.

2. Description of the Background Art

Recently, due to rapid growth of computer and communicationtechnologies, information and communication have become more importantin everyday life as well as science and business. Particularly, in thecurrent information age, since every country in the world isconstructing high-speed communications nets competitively, variousinformation will be provided, transmitted and consumed and aconsiderable part of such information will be secured by the copyrightlaw.

Recorders, video recorders and copy machines using the analogue methodmake differences in quality between the original and the copy in costs,time and convenience and accordingly, those things cannot actuallysignificantly affect the copyright.

However, works on information and communication media such as theInternet significantly affect the copyright since the copy and theoriginal are 100% identical and through the Internet images and voicesas well as texts can be transmitted to the whole world. Also, in thebroadcasting field, the TV transmitting method is digitized bygeneralization of the digital compression technology and development ofinexpensive receivers and accordingly, copy of contents throughbroadcasting affects the copyright significantly.

In the information age where all works such as images and records aredigitized, infringement of the copyright has become easy and done invarious forms and accordingly, exposing and getting rid of infringementof the copyright is difficult.

Therefore, since writing will is decreased and distribution ofintellectual property rights is hindered unless the infringement ofintellectual properties is prevented or the technologies for exposingthe infringement is prevented, enterprises related to copyrights aremaking much effort to develop copy protecting technology as atechnological means to secure works.

In the present, as a general technology for protecting copy, there is amethod of restricting the number of copies to a certain number byinserting a copy control code in a header part of contents. The abovetechnology will be applied to broadcasting contents as the digitalbroadcasting is popularized and the technology is partly now in use.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a copy apparatus of aconventional digital broadcast receiver.

As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional digital broadcast receiver includesa TV broadcast receiver 100 for receiving contents which a broadcastingstation transmits and a recording apparatus 200 for storing the receivedcontents.

The above TV broadcast receiver 100 includes a receiving unit 110 forreceiving the contents and a first storage medium 120 for storing thecontents supplied from the receiving unit 110 and the recordingapparatus 200 includes a second storage medium 210 for storing thecontents transmitted from the first storage medium 120.

The operation of a copying apparatus for the conventional digitalbroadcasting receiver will be described with reference to accompanieddrawings as follows.

The receiving unit 110 of a TV broadcasting receiver receives contentstransmitted through transmission media such as broadcast satellite orcable and stores the contents in the built-in first storage medium 120.At this time, the possible number of copies of the contents is decreasedby one.

With the above storage method, the contents can be stored by the storagecommand of a user or new contents can be continuously storedautomatically deleting old contents at a certain time interval accordingto the composition of the TV broadcast receiver 100.

Later, when the user demands to copy the contents to the second storagemedium, the TV broadcast receiver 100 reads the contents from the firststorage medium and judges the possible number of copies by analyzing thecopy control code inserted in the header part of the contents.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a packet including a header in accordance witha conventional data packet. “DATA LENGTH” field specifies the length ofthe data field of data block payload packets and data block packets;“TAG” field provides a high-level label for the format of data carriedby the packet; “CHANNEL” field specifies the channel number for thepacket; “TCODE” field represents a transaction code, which specifies thepacket format and the type of transaction to be performed; and “SY”field represents a synchronization code, and is an application-specificcontrol field.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the copy control code uses 2 bitsamong 4 bits of a synchronous bits in the header part of the data packetand is divided to unrestricted copy, restricted copy, a single copy andno copy according to the set value (00,01,10,11). Also, the other 1 bitis used in an encryption code of the data stream and the leastsignificant bit of the synchronous bits is a reserved bit and not used.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the copy control code uses 2 bitsamong 4 bits of a synchronous bits in the header part of the data packetand is divided to unrestricted copy, restricted copy, a single copy andno copy according to the set value (00,01,10,11). Also, the other 1 bitis used in an encryption code of the data stream and the leastsignificant bit of the synchronous bits is a reserved bit and not used.

Namely, as shown in FIG. 2, if the copy control code is set asunrestricted copy (S201), the TV broadcast receiver 100 does not convertthe copy control code and copies the contents to the second storagemedium (S202 and S203), if the copy control code is set as restrictedcopy (S204), the receiver 100 stores the contents in the second storagemedium 210 after decreasing by one from the possible number of copies byconverting the copy control code (S205 and S206). On the contrary, ifthe copy control code is set as no copy, the TV broadcast receiver 100cannot copy the contents to the second storage medium regardless ofdemand of the user (S207).

By the way, the first storage medium 120 is restricted in capacity.Therefore, if the copy control code is set to no copy in case the userof the digital broadcast receiver is willing to store the contents for along time or edit the contents, copying or editing of the contents fromthe first storage medium 120 to the second storage medium 210 isimpossible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatusand method for moving contents capable of moving the position of storedcontents under the condition that the number of contents is notincreased.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus andmethod for moving contents capable of efficiently moving contents havinga restricted number of copies to another storage media.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purposeof the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein,there is provided an apparatus for moving contents comprising a inputunit for inputting contents and a control unit for controlling moving ofthe contents to other medium by analyzing a copy control code of thecontents.

To achieve the above objects, there is provided a method for movingcontents comprising the steps of analyzing a copy control code of thecontents when a user selects moving of the contents from a first storagemedium to a second storage medium and storing the contents the contentsin the second storage medium by converting the copy control code of thecontents according to the result of analysis.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the present invention when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a conventional copyapparatus;

FIG. 2 is a flowing chart showing a method for copying contents of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a view showing a header of a conventional data packet;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an apparatus for moving contents inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowing chart showing a method for moving contents inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a detailed flowing chart showing the step for moving contentsof FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a view showing a header of the packet in accordance with thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an apparatus for moving contents inaccordance with the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, an apparatus for moving contents in accordance withthe present invention includes a TV broadcast receiver 400 for analyzinga copy control code of contents received from a broadcasting station,converting the copy control code according to the result of the analysisand outputting the converted code and a second storage medium 500 forstoring the contents moved from the TV broadcast receiver 400 through aninterface means.

The TV broadcast receiver 400 includes a receiving unit 410 forreceiving the contents, a first storage medium 420 for temporarilystoring the contents received from the receiving unit 410, a copycontrol code analyzing unit 430 for analyzing a copy control code of thecontents stored in the first storage medium 320, a control unit 440 forcontrolling the operation of each unit needed to move the contents suchas fetching, deleting and code converting from the first storage medium420, a copy control code converting unit 450 for converting the copycontrol code of the contents according to the control of the controlunit 440 and a data outputting unit 460 for transmitting contentsfetched from the first storage medium having the converted copy controlcode to the second storage medium.

At this time, the second storage medium 500 can be included in the TVbroadcast receiver 400, can be independent out of the receiver using aconnection means such as a cable or can be included in anotherapparatuses (for example, a VCR for performing recording).

The operation of the apparatus for the moving the contents in accordancewith the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5and 6.

The receiving unit 410 of the TV broadcast receiver receives thecontents transmitted through the media such as a broadcasting satelliteor a cable and stores the contents in the first storage medium 420included in itself. At this time, the possible number of copies of thecontents is decreased by one.

Later, when the user demands moving the contents, the control unit 440checks whether the TV broadcast receiver and the second storage medium500 are connected (S501 and S502). If they are connected, the controlunit 440 judges whether an authentication is needed between the TVbroadcast receiver 400 and the second storage unit 500 by analyzing thecopy control code of the contents (S503).

Besides, if the copy control code of contents is set as unrestrictedcopy, the contents do not need any authentication. But if the copycontrol code of the contents is set as restricted copy or no copy, thecontents are to be authenticated to maintain the restricted number ofcopies.

Therefore, the control unit 440 performs the step 506 in case the copycontrol code is set as unrestricted copy. But, in case the copy controlcode is set as restricted copy or no copy, mutual authentication isperformed between the TV broadcast receiver 400 and the second storagemedium 500 (S504 and S505). At this time, since the TV broadcastreceiver 400 and the second storage medium 500 are authenticated by eachpeculiar key values, in case a medium rejects the authentication demandor the authentication is not succeeded, moving the contents is notpossible (S508).

When the authentication between the TV broadcast receiver 400 and thesecond storage medium 500 is performed successfully (S505), the controlunit controls of moving the contents stored in the first storage medium420 to the second storage medium 500 only in status which the secondstorage medium 500 can be written (S506 and S507).

FIG. 6 is a detailed flowing chart showing the step of moving thecontents (S507).

As shown in FIG. 6, in the step of moving (S507), the moving operationis performed according to the possible number of copy determined byanalyzing the copy control code inserted in the header part of thecontents.

Namely, if the copy control code is set as unrestricted copy (possiblenumber of copy is N, N=∞), the copy control code is not converted by thecopy control code converting unit 450 (S601 and S602). Later, thecontrol unit 440 stores the above contents to the second storage medium500 through the data outputting unit 460 (S603).

Also, if the copy control code is set as restricted copy (N=n), the copycontrol code of the contents stored in the first storage medium 420 isdecreased by one by the copy control code converting unit 450 (S604 andS605). The control unit 440 stores the contents in the second storagemedium 500 through the data outputting unit 450 (S606).

Also, if the copy control code is set as no copy (N=0), the copy controlcode of the contents stored in the first storage medium 420 is changedto a single copy by the copy control code converting unit 450 (S607 andS608) in order to move the contents from the first storage medium to thesecond storage medium. Here, in case the copy control code is set to nocopy, the above contents are divided to copy control code is set as asingle copy or no copy before the contents are stored in the firststorage medium 420. At this time, in case the copy control code of thecontents is set to no copy, this case is not included in the presentinvention, because the contents cannot be stored in the first storagemedium 420. However, in case the copy control code is set to no copy bybeing stored in the first storage medium 420, the present invention isapplied to the case. Later, the control unit 440 stores the contents tothe second storage medium 500 through the data outputting unit 460 andthen moving the contents is completed by deleting the original writtenin the first storage medium 420 (S609 and S610).

Since the contents are moved as above, the number of the contents issame as that of before the movement.

As another embodiment from the above moving method, the presentinvention sets a moving determination bit in the contents in advance andaccordingly, moving of the contents can be performed according to themoving determination bit.

Namely, as shown in FIG. 7, the present invention sets the leastsignificant bit as a moving determination bit in the synchronous bitsand if the contents can be moved, the moving determination bit is set as‘1’ and if the contents can not be moved, the moving determination bitis set as ‘0’.

Therefore, if the user demands moving the contents to the second storagemedium 500 after the contents are temporarily stored in the firststorage medium 420 by being received in the receiving unit 410 of the TVbroadcast receiver 400, the control unit 440 can judge whether thecontents can be copied or not in advance according to the movingdetermination bit after reading the moving determination bit of thecontents.

Namely, unless the moving determination bit is set as capable of moving,the contents can not move to the second storage medium 500 andaccordingly, the contents can be stored with the copy method as in FIG.2 of the conventional art. However, if the moving determination bit isset as capable of moving, the contents can be moved in the secondstorage medium 500 as in the process shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

As another embodiment from the above TV broadcasting receiver 400, thepresent invention can be embodied as a processor (not shown) whichincludes units of TV broadcasting receiver 400, or as a processor (notshown) which is programmed with the above method of moving contents.

The method of moving the contents is that the user moves the contents tothe second storage medium 500 by analyzing and converting the copycontrol code of the contents after the contents are stored the firststorage medium 420, as described above. However, the first storagemedium 420 can be included in the Personal Video Recorder, and can beincluded in another apparatuses (for example, Personal Computer, DigitalVideo Disc, Digital Video Home System) using a connection means (forexample, IEEE1394, Universal Serial Bus).

As described above, the apparatus and method for moving the contents canmove the storing position of the contents not increasing the number ofthe contents.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, itshould also be understood that the above-described embodiments are notrestricted by any of the details of the foregoing description, unlessotherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within itsspirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore allchanges and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of theclaims, or equivalence of such meets and bounds are therefore intendedto be embraced by the appended claims.

1. A method of managing content, comprising the steps of: (a) judgingwhether a control information is a copy control information or movingcontrol information, wherein the control information is associated witha protection of content, and the moving control information indicatingwhether a moving of content is permitted is distinguished from the copycontrol information indicating whether a copy of content is permitted ornot; and (b) controlling a protection of content in response to the step(a) such that the content can be copied if the control information iscopy control information and the copy control information indicates thata copy of the content is permitted, while the content can be moved ifthe control information is moving control information and the movingcontrol information indicates that the moving of content is permitted.2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (b) controls the protectionof content such that the content can not be copied if the controlinformation is copy control information and the copy control informationindicates that a copy of the content is not permitted, and the contentcan not be moved if the control information is moving controlinformation and the moving control information indicates that the movingof content is not permitted.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: (c) deleting the content stored in a storage medium afterthe moving of content is performed, if the control information is movingcontrol information and the moving control information indicates thatthe moving of content is permitted.
 4. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: (c) performing an operation for not using the content storedin a storage medium after the moving of content is performed, if thecontrol information is moving control information and the moving controlinformation indicates that the moving of content is permitted.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the moving control information is included ina header of data format, the content comprising at least one dataformat.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (b) comprises (b1)performing an authentication with other entity to move the content toother entity if the moving control information indicates that the movingof content is permitted; and (b2) determining whether to move thecontent as a result of step (b1), wherein the content can be moved onlywhen the authentication is performed successfully.
 7. The method ofclaim 6, wherein the authentication is performed using a particular keyvalue.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (b) comprises (b1)judging whether the content can be stored in other entity if the movingof content is permitted; and (b2) determining whether to move thecontent to the other entity as a result of the step (b1).
 9. The methodof claim 1, wherein the step (b) comprises (b1) identifying whether ornot the other entity is connected; and (b2) determining whether to movethe content to the other entity as a result of the step (b1).
 10. Themethod of claim 9, wherein the step (b2) comprises (b2-1) performing anauthentication with other entity if other entity is connected as aresult of step (b1); and (b2-2) moving the content when theauthentication is performed successfully.
 11. The method of claim 10,wherein the step (b2-2) comprises (b2-2-1) judging whether the contentcan be stored in other entity if the authentication is performedsuccessfully; and (b2-2-2) determining whether to move the content tothe other entity as a result of the step (b2-2-1).
 12. The method ofclaim 9, wherein the other entity is connected through IEEE1394 orUniversal Serial Bus.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the content isread from first storage medium to move the content to other entity ifthe moving control information indicates that the moving of content ispermitted, wherein an entity including first storage medium is a digitalTV receiver, Personal Recorder, Personal computer, Disc apparatus, orDigital Home System.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein other entity isa digital TV or a recording device.
 15. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: (c) updating the copy control information to reflect thatthe copy of content is performed, if the control information is copycontrol information and the copy control information indicates that thecopy of content is permitted.
 16. A method of managing content,comprising the steps of: (a) judging whether a control information is acopy control information or moving control information, wherein thecontrol information is associated with a protection of content, and themoving control information indicating whether a moving of content ispermitted is different from the copy control information indicatingwhether a copy of content is permitted or not; and (b) controlling aprotection of content in response to the step (a) such that the contentcan be copied if the control information is copy control information andthe copy control information indicates that a copy of the content ispermitted, while the content can be moved if the control information ismoving control information and the moving control information indicatesthat the moving of content is permitted, wherein the copy controlinformation is updated to reflect the status if the copy of content isperformed, while an operation for not using the content stored in thestorage medium is performed after the moving of content is performed, ifthe control information is moving control information and the movingcontrol information indicates that the moving of content is permitted.17. An apparatus for managing content, comprising: a storage unit tostore content; and a controller judging whether a control information isa copy control information or moving control information, wherein thecontrol information is associated with a protection of content stored inthe storage unit, and the moving control information indicating whethera moving of content is permitted is distinguished from the copy controlinformation indicating whether a copy of content is permitted or not,and controlling a protection of content in response to the judgment suchthat the content can be copied to other entity if the controlinformation is copy control information and the copy control informationindicates that a copy of the content is permitted, while the content canbe moved to other entity if the control information is moving controlinformation and the moving control information indicates that the movingof content is permitted.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, furthercomprising: an interface unit to interface with other entity.
 19. Theapparatus of claim 18, wherein the interface unit is interfaced throughIEEE1394 or Universal Serial Bus.
 20. The apparatus of claim 18, furthercomprising: a receiving unit to receive the content from an externalsource.
 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the external source isbroadcasting station, broadcasting satellite, or cable.
 22. Theapparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is a digital TV receiver,Personal Recorder, Personal computer, Disc apparatus, or Digital HomeSystem.
 23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein other entity is a digitalTV or a recording device.